BURGESS’S CONCENTRIC ZONE MODEL 

The Burgess Model was developed by Ernest Burgess in 1925. He identified a series of concentric rings coming out from the centre of the city which correspond to different types of land use. 

In the centre was the Central Business District; followed by an inner city area known as the transition zone, with light manufacturing; then a series of residential zones gradually becoming wealthier towards the edge of the city. 

Burgess‟s original model was entirely based on Chicago. The sloping line through the centre shows the shore of Lake Michigan. To the left of this line Burgess labelled the reality of Chicago with names and types of places; to the right, he identified the academic terms he gives to each zone. 

The model is useful because it shows a heavily simplified version of reality that could be applied to many cities. It doesn‟t actually explain why these zones are in those locations, but it is the basis for theories that do: the main one is bid-rent, discussed elsewhere on this site. Some other explanations that follow from the Burgess model are:

ZONE I- CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT: – It is the most inner circle forming

the core of the city. In Chicago it is known as ‘Loop’. Burgess model has

also termed the zone as ‘Loop’. In New York it is known as Downtown.

In this zone where most of the tertiary employment is located and also transport infrastructure is converging making this zone most accessible.

CBD is the focus of commercial, social, and civic life. This zone is

characterized by large number of sky scrapper buildings mostly engaged

in commercial activities like retail trade, business, departmental stores,

hotels and restaurants, banks, offices, clubs, theatres, etc. In America it

occupies the least space and most part is non-residential.

ZONE II- ZONE OF TRANSITION: – This zone encircles the core or the CBD

of zone I. In this transitional zone older private houses are either in the

process of being taken over for offices and light industry or in the process

of subdivision to form smaller dwelling units. This is the area of the city

to which immigrants are attracted. This zone is always changing in

character as business and light manufacturing encroach into this zone of

residential deterioration. It is inhabited by poor people and labourers who

work in business or light manufacturing. It has old structure houses,

availability of rooms on rent, low income people and narrow streets, it is

characterized by “vice” areas inhabited by unstable social groups rather

than by settled families. In American it contains poorest segment of urban

population notably first generation immigrants.

ZONE III- ZONE OF WORKING MEN’S HOUSES: - This is the third concentric

circle inhabited by the workers in industries who have escaped from area

of deterioration but who desire to live within easy access of their work.

This zone has the advantage of being located near the major zones of

employment. Some older residential buildings in the city are found in this

zone, but socio-economic groups are stable and largely consist of working

class families. In Chicago, this zone is dominated by two storey buildings

in which house owners live in lower storey while the upper storey was

given to tenant. The inhabitants of this zone work either in business

activities of CBD or in the light manufacturing. Houses of medium

income group people are found in this zone.

ZONE IV- ZONE OF BETTER RESIDENCES: - Encircling Zone III is the zone

of better residences. It is “residential area” of high class apartment

buildings or of exclusive “restricted” districts of single family dwellings. The

people living here are engaged in certain profession like bank, commercial

institution, manager, clerks, etc. The multi room dwellings of this zone

have vast open space in front of their houses which is used for gardening.

ZONEV-THE COMMUTER’S ZONE: - According to Burgess it is the

outermost circle beyond the city limits. It is known as commuter’s zone,

suburban areas or satellite cities. People inhabiting this zone daily

commute to main city for work. It is characterized by high class residences

developed along lines of rapid travel. The residences are widely spaced

and there are open spaces between two houses. Here expensive houses

are located in a rural sub-urbanized setting. Here there still be open

country and former villages changing in character and functions to

become dormitory settlement for commuters who travel to work in the

City. Commuting costs are highest. Prior to mass diffusion of the

automobile most of these settlements were located next to rail stations. 

CRITICISM 

However, the model is also criticised for many reasons:

 It is too specific to North American cities; it does not fit more historic cities or those that

have recently grown

 The model is over 90 years old and it does not fit the modern age and is “a product of its

time” both in terms of the wording used on the model and the way that the model is

organised

 There are many assumptions in the model that mean it doesn‟t fit other cities very well

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